STUDIED ON HUMAN ROTAVIRUS INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS IN CHINA

Zhao JM, Cheng H, Yan L, et al.

Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.

Objective: To know the state of human Rotavirus infections in children with acute gastroenteritis (diarrhea).

Methods: The survey covers 1968 infants and children with gastroenteritis in 19 provinces and cities of China. Stool specimens collected from 1968 infants and children with diarrhea, 143 children, 115 babies and 37 adults without diarrhea, 36 adults with diarrhea were examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). 1493 stool specimens examined were examined by ELISA, 388 stool specimens form sick children and 57 stool specimens from children and adults without diarrhea were examined by EM, bacterial culture were analyzed in 645 stool specimens.

Results: Human Rotavirus RNA (HRV RNA) was detected in 804 (40.9%) of 1968 stool specimens examined. No virus was detected in the stool specimens of children and adults without diarrhea. Rotavirus antigen was detected in 500 (33.5%) of the 1493 stool specimens. According to the genome profile of PAGE, 801 (99.6%) of the 804 rotavirus RNA positive belonged to goup A virus, and the other 3 (0.4%) belonged to group C virus. According to the different migration of 10, 11 segments on PAGE, the RNA pattern of group A virus can be subdivided into two patterns: long pattern and short pattern. The 527 (66.8%) positive HRV RNA was in the long pattern, while the 267 (33.3%) positive were in the short pattern. Among the rest, there were 6 appeared to mixed types, and the examined one was uncertain. Four different genotypes of HRV RNA in the long and short patterns were identified respectively: they were types 4232, 4222, 3232, 3222. They were eight electrophorotype genomes of HRV RNA varied not only in different years or seasons but also in age of patients and regions where the patients live.

Conclusion: Rotavirus infections are the single most important etiologic agents of diarrhea illness of infants and young children China-wide.

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